If you swear to take up armor and sword in allegiance to a mighty king, you should drink on it — at least, you should drink on it in any kingdom I’d be willing to serve.

And it should be a big beer, too, not some middling witbier or so-so lager. It should be a brew worthy of a king’s table, and worthy of toasting the deeds of those who shed blood in the kingdom’s defense.

Brewery Ommegang, near Cooperstown, N.Y., has produced a rich stout that reflects such notions. The beer is called Take the Black, and it is brewed in conjunction with HBO’s hit fantasy series, “Game of Thrones.” The series is based on the novel “A Game of Thrones” and its sequels by George R.R. Martin. TV show and novels are chock full of swords, violence, intrigues, sex, wars, etc. In “Game of Thrones,” the members of a particular military order are said to “take the black” when they swear their oaths, hence the name of the beer.

As you might expect, a beer tied in with “Game of Thrones” had better be bold, not boring. HBO did well to partner with Ommegang, American brewers of Belgian-style beers with a twist. Ommegang brewers know their stuff. The first beer in the series, Iron Throne Blonde Ale, was a hit. This one will be a hit, too.

The beer should be on shelves any moment now. Ommegang and HBO kindly sent me a couple of bottles to sample in advance, and I will be looking for more.

Take the Black undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, and so has some yeast still chugging away inside. The brewery recommends storing the beer upright a day or so before pouring carefully, in order to keep the yeast out of your glass. That’s exactly what I did.

Take the Black hits all the right stout notes, of course, pouring a nearly opaque black with a massive, thick tan head of foam. The scent features all the usual stout aromas — malt sweetness, roasted barley, a hint of chocolate and coffee, a smattering of hops to balance the malts. Then the aroma goes one step further, though, and hits you with a distinctive difference. I played a “Game of Beers,” of sorts, and drank the brew first to see what flavors I could detect, then looked closely at the label and press materials. I enjoyed the scent, but could not place it. The label, however, informed me that star anise and licorice root were key ingredients. I’m guessing those created the added bonus in the aroma.

In any case, the scent is subdued, but wonderful.

The first sip offers great stout taste in a full-bodied brew. This is not a creamy smooth stout; it hits you up front with a bready, malty texture that I thoroughly enjoyed. The initial impression is that of a fine stout, tasting primarily of roasted barley and coffee. At some point, the flavor takes a bit of a twist, mellowing just a tad before kicking into a really nice finish with that surprising note from the aroma showing up in the taste.

The malts for “Take the Black” include Midnight Wheat, which perhaps is what leads to that nice pirouette of flavor. The hops, Northern Brewer and Columbus, keep it all in balance. It’s the finish, though, with that nice twist, that really makes this beer stand out from other stouts.

Whatever you do, don’t drink this beer icy cold. Stout wants to be at cellar temperature, 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and this one, I think, should adhere to that guideline more than most. Its flavors are subtle, and its best features could be lost at a cold temperature.

Given the whole “Game of Thrones” tie-in, I suspect role-playing gamers or Society for Creative Anachronism historical-re-enactment types might be tempted to pour Take the Black into leather jacks or metallic goblets bedecked with costume jewelry. I beg you not to do that.

I’ve got some of that kind of gear, and yes, I’ve quaffed brews from such at costume parties. Hence, I know that pewter or leather on the lower lip and tongue as you drink deeply does, in fact, impart a taste — even if the beer itself is not really chemically altered in any way. So if you want to break out your Renaissance Festival leather jack or goblet and drink heartily during a “Game of Thrones” marathon, do that with lesser beers. Take the Black deserves a glass, so you can appreciate the deep color and the nice foam, and so you can taste the complex subtleties of the stout instead of leather or pewter.

If you happen to have a sword, on the other hand, wield that thing and raise your glass high. Take the Black!